Saturday Racing Tips – 12th September: Doncaster, Chester & Leopardstown

This Saturday's ITV racing coverage brings camera crews to Doncaster, Chester, and Leopardstown for another day of top-quality racing. 

We’ve looked at the top runners in five must-watch events, selecting the five most likely to perform well in Saturday's televised events. 

See the latest horse racing odds on LiveScore Bet

Saturday Racing Tips Summary

Below are our expert picks for Saturday's Racing, including our top choice for each featured race.

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13:30 – Virgin Bet Stand Cup Stakes (Chester) – Too Soon

• 1m4½f – Flat Turf, Listed, Class 1

• Runners: 6 (MAX 16)

• Good To Soft

The Virgin Bet Stand Cup Stakes is the first televised race on ITV this Saturday, and it’s sure to be a competitive race.

There may be just six runners in the opener, but there’s some fierce quality on show. William Haggas’ Dubai Future (5/6) is the big name in the event, but it’s Gary & Josh Moore’s Too Soon (8/1) that I’m most interested in. 

The 4-year-old bay gelding, Too Soon, has won on his last two outings over 1m4f at both Goodwood and Epsom. Jockey Warren Fentiman will be hoping to make it three-in-a-row in the ITV opener this Saturday. Well worth an EW bet. 

Table: Recent Form of Too Soon

14:05 – Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Watergate Cup (Chester) – Shipshape

• 2m – Flat Turf, Handicap, Class 2

• Runners: 12 (MAX 17)

• Good To Soft

We’re sticking at Chester to cover the Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Watergate Cup – a 2m flat turf handicap with 12 runners currently entered. 

Once again, we’re straying away from the favourites and actually looking much further down the entries to Shipshape (14/1), a 4-year-old bay gelding currently in Bernard Llewellyn & Robert Williams’ stable.

An interesting Each Way – he’s won twice over the last four months – at both Chester and Hamilton. This race will be a bit of a step-up for him, but jockey Isobelle Chalmers looks up to the challenge. 

Table: Recent Form of Shipshape

14:55 – Betfred Park Stakes (Doncaster) – Qirat 

• 7f – Flat Turf, Group 2, Class 1

• Runners: 8 (MAX 22)

• Good To Soft

Onto Doncaster next and the Betfred Park Stakes – a 7f Group 2, Class 1 flat turf event with 8 runners entered. 

Both William Haggas and Andrew Balding have runners in this one, with More Thunder (5/4) and Never So Brave (6/1) taking the lion's share of the bets. But it’s Ralph Beckett’s Qirat (13/2) that looks the best value to me. 

The 5-year-old chestnut gelding has run often, making 5 appearances in just 3 months at Goodwood, York and Epsom. His last win was at York over 7f – a feat he’ll be looking to repeat this time out at Doncaster. He’s the best value in this one and well worth an EW wager. 

Table: Recent Form of Qirat

15:35 – Betfred St Leger Stakes (Doncaster) – Pierre Bonnard

• 1m6½f – Flat Turf, Group 1, Class 1

• Runners: 11 (MAX 20)

• Good To Soft

Aidan O'Brien’s Pierre Bonnard (7/2) is my horse to watch in this, the Betfred St Leger Stakes at Doncaster. 

It’s the biggest race of the day, with £700,000 guaranteed for 3yo colts & fillies. As you’d expect with such a big prize pot, there’s some serious competition in this one – namely from Joseph Patrick O'Brien with Enceladus (9/4) and Aidan O'Brien with Christmas Day (5/2).

Pierre Bonnard, however, remains a strong contender. He has already finished ahead of Christmas Day in the Great Voltigeur last time out. He was also only a neck behind the festive runner in the Irish Derby, suggesting there may be less between the pair than the prices imply. 

Put simply, he’s underpriced and well worth an Each Way wager. 

Table: Recent Form of Pierre Bonnard

15:55 – Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (Leopardstown) – True Love

• 1m – Flat Turf, Group 1

• Runners: 9

• Good

Last up in our coverage, it’s the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes over at Leopardstown – a 1m flat turf Group 1 race with €400,000 guaranteed for 3yo+ fillies & mares only. 

This one has two of my favourite competing racehorses, with Aidan O’Brien’s Precise (2/1) and True Love (8/1) going head-to-head. Naturally, it’s the latter that I’m most interested in, with the huge early price of 8/1 too tempting not to place an Each-Way bet. 

The pair are often entered side-by-side, with Precise regularly coming out on top. But True Love is no slouch, placing first in a field of 19 at Newmarket in May (with Precise a disappointing 7th despite being the favourite). 

Table: Recent Form of True Love

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